Peterbilt Named North Texas Clean Air Champion

Peterbilt Motors Company received the highest honor at the ninth annual Working for Clean Awards from the North Texas Commission, the company recently announced. The 2013 awards feature 15 different category winners named from 26 applicant organizations representing more than 70,000 employees.

Peterbilt was revealed as the top award winner – the North Texas Clean Air Champion – during an awards ceremony at the Dallas/Fort Worth Corporate Aviation Facility.

“We’re extremely pleased to be recognized by the North Texas Commission for our commitment to continuously improve Peterbilt’s environmental stewardship throughout all of our operations at all of our locations,” said Darrin Siver, Peterbilt General Manager and PACCAR Vice President. “This includes developing and producing new technologies and products that help our customers optimize fuel efficiency and operate alternative fuel vehicles, such as natural gas trucks and tractors. We look forward to continuing this mission through our numerous employee-led clean air initiatives and environmental management systems.”

Prior to the awards ceremony, attendees were able to view several clean air vehicles. Peterbilt displayed a natural gas powered vehicle for attendees to learn about this technology and its environmental benefits.

Peterbilt commands approximately 40 percent of all Class 6-8 natural gas truck sales and has been manufacturing these types of vehicles for nearly 20 years. Additionally, Peterbilt offers aerodynamically designed vehicles that optimize fuel economy and installs proprietary PACCAR Engines that feature leading levels of fuel efficiency.

But it wasn’t just the company’s products that led to the award.

“Peterbilt showed its environmental leadership through numerous initiatives that have resulted in significant air quality and waste reduction improvements,” said Robert Kent, Director of Environmental Programs with the North Texas Commission. “We were impressed with the company’s Six Sigma approach to minimizing pollutants, the environmentally friendly product designs and that more than one-quarter of its employees used an alternative form of transportation for their commute.”

Regarding the latter, more than 25 percent of Peterbilt employees walk, bike or utilize the company’s extensive shuttle system to get to and from work. There are more than 70 carpool designated vehicles (four or more riders) and the company contracts a bus and nearly 20 vans to assist in employees’ commutes from throughout North Texas.

Another initiative noted by the North Texas Commission was a no-idle policy at all of its locations that limit vehicles to five minutes of idle time.